Reclining chair construction



Oct. 4, 1955 A. s. GOLDBERG RECLINING CHAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28, 1952 INVENTOR.

A HROH 3- GOLD BERG United States Patent O RECLINING CHAIR CONSTRUCTION Aaron S. Goldberg, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Bunting Glider Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 279,057

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-105) This invention relates generally to chairs and is more particularly concerned with an adjustable type thereof.

Among the principal objects of this invention is to provide a chair with an improved mounting for an adjustable part wherein the latter is constantly urged by the force of gravity toward a reclined position but is-normally secured against assuming such a position by the action of a stabilizing member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a chair wherein the action of said stabilizing member may be counteracted and overcome by the operator while seated in the chair.

Still another object is to provide a chair with an improved mounting for adjustable back and leg rest parts wherein the angular change in the position of the latter is at a greater rate than the angular change in the position of the former.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, it being understood that the present invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, as described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair of the present invention shown in its normal position, the back, seat and leg rest pads being removed to expose the frame;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view showing the chair of Figure 1, the normal position thereof being shown in full lines the reclined or rearward position thereof being shown in broken lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevational view showing a fitting utilized to connect the seat and leg rest parts;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the area circled in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged p'lan section on line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line 7-.'7 of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Now referring particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the chair of the present invention essentially comprises a floor supported base frame 11 which carries a back rest and seat unit 12 having a leg rest frame '13 disposed in advance thereof and braced back to the base frame 11 through the medium of a member 14.

The base frame 11 includes a pair of similar side sections 16-16 disposed generally in vertical laterally spaced parallel planes. Each side section 16 includes a generally U-shaped tubular member 17 having a base part 18'and legs 19-19, the former being provided with opposite end portions curved to engage the fioor and an intermediate port ion curved to rise above the floor. The free end portions of legs 19-19 have suitably connected thereto Patented Oct. 4, 1955 a pair of tubular members 21-21 disp'osed thereby on opposite sides of legs 19-19 and curved upwardly to form a comfortable arm rest.

The side sections 16-16 are secured together by horizontally disposed tubular members 22 and 23 which respectively extend transversely between the front legs 19-19 and between the rear legs 19-19 of side sections 16-16, the transverse member 22 being located approximately midway between the floor and the arm rest tubes 21, while the transverse member 23 is located at a point somewhat higher, i. e., proximate the arm rest members 21. The lower end portions of rear legs 19-19 are provided respectively with coaxially related apertures which receive the opposite end portions of a shaft 24 projected therethrough for carrying a pair of wheels suitably arranged thereon for rotation about a transverse axis and disposed to engage the floor at a point just behind the rearwardly disposed floor engaging portions of base parts 18. It will be understood that the shaft 24 is arranged to serve also as a spacer member between side sections 16-16.

The back rest and seat unit 12 comprises a back rest section 26 and a seat section 27 rigidly secured together to form a unitary frame. The back rest section 26 includes a tubular member 28 bent into the form of an inverted U frame, which latter is disposed in a rearwardly inclined plane and extends transversely between the side sections 16-16. The opposed lower ends of the tubular member 28 are each turned forwardly and upwardly out of the aforementioned rearwardly inclined plane to provide freely extending portions 29-29 disposed in laterally spaced parallel relation. For rendering the back rest section 26 rigid and to provide adequate support for a back rest cushion 30, a tubular member 31 is suitably connected between the opposite side legs 32-32 of the inverted U-shaped member 28, while other tubular members 33 are similarly connected between the transversely extending upper portion 34 of the inverted U- shaped member 28 and the lower transversely extending member 31.

The seat section 27 includes a U-shaped frame 36 also preferably formed of tubular stock, said frame being disposed in a forwardly inclined plane and positioned to extend transversely between the side sections 16-16. The mouth of the U-shaped frame 36 presents rearwardly, with the opposite end portions thereof suitably connected,- as at 36 -36 to opposed side portions, respectively, of the back rest section 26 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof. Opposed side portions of the seat section 27 intermediate the front and rear thereof are also rigidly connected to the upper extremities of the reversely turned end portions 29-29 of tubular member 28, as at 36 -36 For rendering the seat section 27 rigid and to provide adequate support for a seat cushion 37 a tubular member 38 is suitably connected between the opposite side legs 39-39 of the U-shaped member 36, while other tubular members 41 are similarly connected between the transversely extending front portion 42 of the U- shaped member 36 and the transversely extending rear member 38.

Opposed parts of the forwardly and upwardly turned end portions 29-29 of the seat back frame 28 are apertured to receive opposite end portions of a shaft 43, the opposite ends of said shaft being respectively journalled in the side frame sections 16-16, as will be described in detail hereinafter. It will be noted here that the mounting of the back rest and seat unit 12 on base frame 11 is such as to afiord fore and aft rocking movement of said unit about the axis of shaft 43. The seat section 27 is designed to extend frontally beyond the transverse member 22, and, therefore, the latter limits forward rocking movement of the back rest and seat unit. The back ice The leg rest frame 13 is formed of a single tubular member 44 preferably bent into the shape .of a rectangle and is disposed to extend forwardly from the seat. section 27. For rendering the leg .rest frame 13 rigid and providing adequate support for a leg .rest cushion 46 tubular members 47-47 are suitably connected between the transversely extending front and rear portions 48 and 4.9 of the frame 13. The proximate ends ofleg rest frame 13 :and seat section 27 are pivotally connected together by means to be described hereinafter, for vertical swinging movement of the leg rest frame 13 relatively to the seat section.

The brace 14 comprises a rigid member, preferably formed of tubular stock, having angularly related portionsSl and 52, the .end of the portion 51 being rigidly connected .to the transversely extending front part 49 of the leg rest frame 13, while the portion 52 .of the brace is pivotally connected to the transverse member 22, the brace 14 being thereby disposed in underslung relation to the leg rest frame 13. Preferably, the brace 14 is connected at its opposite ends to the midpoints of the parts 49 and 22 and so lies in the longitudinally extending median vertical plane of the chair.

As shown more particularly in Figure 6, the several tubular members of the chair are preferably interconnected through the medium of a plug 53 and a cap screw 54. The plug 53 is provided with an annular groove 56 and is fitted into the terminal portion of .one tubular member, the latter being provided with an annular bead 57 which projects into the groove 56 to thereby secure the plug in place. The cap screw 54 is projected through alined openings in the adjoining tubular member and is threaded into the outer end portion .of plug 53. It will be seen that the tubular members are thus rigidly detachably secured together.

Referring particularly to Figure 7, it will noted that convection between the arm rest members and their supporting member 17 is effected preferably through the medium of a screw 58 which is projected through .alined openings in the arm rest members .2121 and the adjoining leg 19 of the support 17 and secured by a cap nut 59 threaded on the free end of the screw.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, it will be noted that the leg rest frame 13 is connected to the seat section 27 through the medium of a pair of hinge fittings 61-61,

each of which is shown to include complemental male and female parts '62 and 63 pivotally connected together by ahinge pin 64 projected through alined openings therein, the parts 62 and 63 being respectively provided with threaded shanks 66 and 67 which respectively project through the front portion 42 of the seat frame 36 and the rear portion 48 of the leg rest frame 13 for securement thereto by nuts threaded onto the free ends of said shanks.

Now referring to Figure 4, it will be observed that the forwardly and upwardly turned opposite end portions 29-29 of the seat back frame are each fitted with a tubular spacer sleeve 68 projected through the aperture which receives an end portion of the shaft 43, each such spacer sleeve, being secured against axial movement in one direction relatively to its mounting by an annular flange 69 and in the opposite direction by an annular head 71. Axially spaced portions of shaft 43 are received by the sleeves 6868 as shown, with the terminal end portion thereof projected through openings in opposed portions of the base parts 1818 of the U-shaped tubular side frame members 17-17, the shaft 43 being thus secured against axial movement by abutment with the inner walls of these base parts.

Referring particularly to Figures and 8, it will be noted that the connection of brace 14 to spacer member 22 is preferably effected through the medium of a plug 72 and an eye screw 73. The plug 72 is of the same form as plug 53 and is similarly secured in place. The eye screw 77 is threaded into the end portion of plug 72 and secured thereto by a lock nut 74, the eye of the screw being seated within an annular groove 76 formed in the transverse member 22 at a point preferably located centrally between its opposite ends. It will be observed that the eye of the screw 73 is of a diameter to loosely seat in the groove 76 but yet be retained by the latter against lateral displacement therefrom in either direction.

The design and construction of the chair of the present invention is such that upon movement of the back rest and seat unit 12 between its full and dotted line positions shown in Figure 2, the leg rest frame 13 will be shifted simultaneously between its full and dotted line positions also shown in Figure 2.

Normally, when the operator is seated in the chair the unit 12 is in its forward position and the leg rest frame 13 is in its lowered position, the front of the seat section 27 then resting on the transverse member .22 with the front of leg rest frame 13 disposed proximate the vfloor. While seated in the chair the operator maymove-the unit 12 from its normal forward position to its reclined rearward position by grasping the arm rests and pushing backward, whereupon the unit 12 rocks to the rearabout the axis of shaft '43 and comes to rest when the back rest section 26 engages the transverse member 23, in which adjusted position the leg rest frame .13 is raised to a generally horizontal position.

It will be understood that the relative disposition of the parallel transverse axes of the shaft 43, the pivot pins 64-64 and the transverse member 22 is such that the center of gravity of the back rest andseat unit 12 is located to the rear of the shaft 43, in consequence of which the unit 12 tends normally to rock backwardly about said shaft 43. However, this tendency of the unit 12 to rock backwardly is overcome by the weight of the forwardly projecting leg rest frame 13, so that the chair,

' when unoccupied, normally assumes its full line position as shown in Figure 2. When the chair is rocked backwardly into its dotted line position shown in Figure 2, as when the occupant of the chair grasps the side arm rests and pushes back against the back rest, the weight of the occupied chair rearwardly of the shaft 43 is sufficient to overcome the weight forwardly of the shaft with the result that the chair assumes its dotted line reclining position with the foot rest frame 13 raised to its elevated position to serve as an extended support for the legs of the occupant. Of course, the operation just described is reversed by the operator when hewishes to assume normal seated position.

The unit 12 on the one hand and the leg rest frame 1.3 and brace 14 together on the other hand are each rigid structures, and ordinarily, therefore, the axis of the hinge pins 6464 would tend to move along two separate arcs at the same time, one with the axis of shaft 43 as its center and the other with the axis of the transverse member 22 as its center. To provide against the resulting tendency for the relatively movable members to .lock, the connection of brace 14 to the transverse member 22 is made loose, as described hereinabove.

It will be observed that the angular position of the leg rest frame 13 changes at a greater rate than the angular position of the unit 12 so that the leg rest frame 13 shifts between its lowered and raised positions while the unit 12 shifts between its fore and aft positions, the latter shifting movement representing a comparatively small angular change. The reason for this action is to be found in the relative disposition of the parallel transverse axes of the shaft 43, the hinge pins 6464 and the transverse member 22. Thus, it will be noted that as the forward extremityof the leg rest frame describes an are which is approximately coincident with that of a circle having the axis of the transverse member 22 as its center, the axis of the hinge pins 61-61 simultaneously describes an are which is coincident with that of a circle having the axis of shaft 43 as its center. As the seat unit 12 shifts from its full line to its dotted line position shown in Figure 2, it exerts a pull upon the leg rest frame 13 and inasmuch as the latter is constrained to shift along a prescribed path by virtue of the pivotal connection between its brace member 14 and the transverse member 22, at the same time that it remains hinged to the seat unit, the leg rest frame necessarily shifts through a larger angle of displacement than does the seat unit for each increment of angular shift of the latter about the shaft 43 as a center. As the seat unit and leg rest frame shift from their full line to their dotted line positions, the included angle between the intersecting lanes of the seat frame 36 and the leg rest frame 13 increases, as shown in Figure 2, so that in its fully elevated position the plane of the leg rest frame closely approaches that of the seat frame.

Although the connection of brace 14 to the leg rest frame 13 has been shown and described as a rigid one and the pivoted connection thereof to the transverse member 22 has been shown and described as loose, it is not intended to limit the invention to such construction, for it will be readily understood that the locking tendency referred to hereinabove could Well be overcome by other suitable means, e' g., by pivotally connecting the opposite ends, respectively, of the brace member 14 to the front member 42 of the seat frame 36 and to the front member 49 of the leg rest frame 13, in which event all play or looseness in the pivotal connections could be eliminated.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the present in vention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the real spirit or general principles thereof and that it is intended to claim the invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a chair of the character described, a rigid base frame, a rigid unitary frame on said base frame, said unitary frame comprising a back rest and a seat section, a leg rest frame extending forwardly from said seat section, and unitary bracing means extending rigidly from the leg rest directly to the base and disposed in underslung relation to said leg rest frame, said unitary frame being pivotally mounted on said base frame for rocking movement fore and aft about a pivotal axis disposed in lower spaced relation to said seat section, said bracing means being connected to said base frame for vertical swinging movement about an axis disposed below the level of said seat section, said leg rest frame being pivotally connected to said seat section for vertical swinging movement and said base being provided with upper portions which afiord arm rests easily accessible to the occupant of the chair in any position thereof.

2. In a chair as defined in claim 1 wherein the unitary frame and the bracing means respectively pivot about spaced first and second axes fixed relative to the base frame, and the leg rest frame pivots about a third axis which is fixed relative to the unitary frame and which, when said unitary frame is moved from its fore to its aft position, moves upward and rearward in an arcuate path, the leg rest frame and bracing means being rigidly secured together for vertical swinging movement as a unit about said second and third pivot axes, the leg rest frame being thereby shifted from a forwardly declining lowered position into a raised substantially horizontal position. I

3. In a chair as defined in claim 1 wherein the base frame comprises a pair of laterally spaced, relatively fixed side sections, wherein the back rest and seat sections each extend transversely between said side sections while the leg rest frame extends in forward longitudinal continuation of said seat section, and wherein the bracing means is connected rigidly to the front of said leg rest and pivotally to the front of said base frame below the level of said seat section.

4. In a chair of the character described, a rigid base frame, a rigid unitary frame on said base frame, said unitary frame comprising a back rest and a seat section, a leg rest frame extending forwardly from said seat section, and unitary bracing means extending rigidly from the leg rest directly to the base and disposed in underslung relation to said leg rest frame, said unitary frame being pivotally mounted on said base frame for rocking movement fore and aft about a pivotal axis disposed in lower spaced relation to a portion of said seat section intermediate the front and rear thereof, said bracing means being connected to said base frame for vertical swinging movement about an axis disposed below the level of said seat section, said leg rest frame being pivotally connected to said seat section for vertical swinging movement and said base being provided with upper portions which afford arm rests easily accessible to the occupant of the chair in any position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,626,069 Beech Apr. 26, 1927 2,276,053 Luckhardt et al Mar. 10, 1942 2,303,308 McArthur Nov. 24, 1942 2,567,222 Lorenz Sept. 11, 1951 

